UPDATE: Aaron Gordon is officially listed as available to play for the Denver Nuggets ahead of the Game 7 matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Gordon went through his normal pre-game warm-up process before the collective decision was made for him to play.
It will be interesting to see how close to 100% Gordon looks on the floor and how much Denver relies on the 29-year-old. There should be no doubts about the grit and toughness Gordon possesses, but hamstring issues tend to linger and directly impact a player’s ability to run and cut.
Nonetheless, Gordon will be leaving it all on the floor and giving his best effort to help this Nuggets team a chance to win.
UPDATE: Per ESPN’s Shams Charania, Gordon’s injury is a Grade 2 hamstring strain that needs “several” weeks to heal and him playing Sunday is “becoming physically improbable.” Given this report, its Gordon almost certainly will be out Sunday and with him missing, Russell Westbrook is the most likely candidate to start for the Nuggets. With Gordon likely out, Denver is an eight-point underdog vs. the Thunder on DraftKings Sportsbook.
The two best words in sports are on deck for the NBA on Sunday as the Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder face off in Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
The Nuggets may miss a crucial cog in their well-oiled machine, though. Forward Aaron Gordon’s status is now in doubt due to a left hamstring strain, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Gordon appeared to tweak a muscle in his leg during Thursday’s 119-107 Game 6 win. While he reached for the back of his leg late in the fourth quarter, he did remain in the game for a bit before exiting. Gordon returned to the court for a possession in the final minute, so he did attempt to play through the ailment.
Per the Denver Post, Denver head coach David Adelman commented on Gordon’s status postgame, saying, “At this point, I have no idea. It would be high, obviously. Aaron is one of our guys — he’s the reason why we’ve won games, and won series, and have a banner hanging up in there.”
Through the playoffs thus far, Gordon averages 16.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game while playing the role of postseason hero. He caught a game-winning alley-oop in the first round, then hit a key go-ahead three-pointer to beat the Thunder in Game 3 of this series — a testament to his career-best 43.6% mark shooting from beyond the arc this season.
With his playoff heroics over this run, the 29-year-old’s absence would present a massive hurdle for the Nuggets in Game 7. If he can’t suit up, Denver’s chances at making the Western Conference Finals take a significant hit.
